Saturday, August 25, 2012

My Orange Nano

A little while ago I had to retire my rope. It was my favourite rope... Here's the Story:

My Orange Nano.

It was love at first sight… She’s a beautiful tall and
skinny one. With her bright orange tan she makes heads turn at the crag. I’m
not jealous when people look at her because she’s mine.

We met a year and half ago. She was introduced to me by JB
from Sterling Ropes when I visited the factory in Maine. Instantly, I knew it
would be a fun relationship. I wasn’t sure how long it would last, because with
her delicate looking body she didn’t look like she could endure much abuse…

We had success on our first climbing trip together when,
along with her little sister
Photon and my two friends, Damien and Yannick, we made the 2nd
ascent of Daedalus on Cannon Cliff, NH. Then the following Spring, I made my
usual Utah desert trip. She came along and she performed like no other. We did
some cragging in Indian Creek for 3 weeks and then with my buddy Sly we climbed
the incredibly classic Moonlight Buttress. Back at home we worked on a project
I bolted at my favorite local crag, Weir. This spicy sport project is a fairly
long pitch (50m) and I knew with her light weight she would be really helpful.
Although I didn’t sent the rig we got so close so many times, I’m sure next
season I’ll send it. Alas, I won’t be able to climb it with my orange Nano.
Because she’s been murdered.

To my surprise, she still looked good 8 months (and many
pitches) after our first climb together. I guess she could have used a bath but
I really didn’t mind. So I decided to bring her along on alpine rock climbing
trip to the Bugaboos. Unaware that she would be in great danger left alone,
Matt and I left her stashed in a dry bag, to save weight on the approach. We
tought she would be safe at the base of our project on the South Howser tower.
When we came back 48 hours later we were devastated to find her and her little
cousin the 5.5mm tag line all chewed up… The incredible bugaboos predator, the
Snafflehound, chewed through the dry-bag and completely destroyed her… It was a
cruel scene.

One day I will have my revenge, beware of my slingshot you
monster snafflehound!